Office of Cannabis Management completes next step toward launching adult-use cannabis

The Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) announced Tuesday, March 25, that it has submitted its proposed rules governing legal cannabis for final approval.

“Our timeline for launching the adult-use market has forecasted completing rules by the end of first quarter 2025,” said OCM Interim Director Eric Taubel. “With the rules now in the hands of an administrative law judge for final approval, we’ve reached a crucial milestone. Following approval, prospective businesses will be able to complete their final steps and receive a cannabis license.”

The administrative law judge now has 14 days to approve, approve with changes, or disapprove the rules in the draft. If the judge does approve, the final rules will be published in the State Register at which time they are also adopted and put into effect. If changes are required, the rules will need to be resubmitted in draft form.

Once approved, the nearly 200 prospective business owners, who were already preapproved for licenses during the preapproval period, would receive their licenses shortly after the rules were adopted.

“The adoption of rules will mean that the social equity applicants who passed the application review last fall are ready to be the first wave of cannabis business owners in Minnesota,” said Jess Jackson, OCM director of social equity.

The full rules draft can be found here.